Pixel-pumping prowess: Ars reviews the third-generation iPad

Ars goes in-depth with the third-generation iPad.

Cosmetic changes

Ignore the dust on my table as we try to see the minuscule difference in thickness. iPad 3 on the left, iPad 2 on the right.

As we noted immediately after the iPad 3 was introduced on March 7, the device weighs 0.11 pounds more than its predecessor, and it's a minuscule 0.03 inches thicker, too (comparing WiFi model to WiFi model). Overall, iPad 3 is 0.37 inches thick and weighs 1.44 pounds (increased to 1.46 pounds for WiFi+LTE).

For those of you familiar with the iPad 2, the increase does make the iPad 3 noticeably heavier. As for the thickness, we probably wouldn't have noticed it without the extra weight drawing our attention to the device's feel in the hand. (As you can see from the image above, the depth difference is barely perceptible).

Critics have complained about the weight of the iPad since the original (at 1.5 pounds) was introduced in 2010. Many people read or surf the Web while holding the device with one hand, and their grip tends to tire after holding the device for long periods of time. The WiFi-only iPad 3 comes within 0.06 pounds of the original's weight, so be warned if you found that device heavy.

Other than weight and thickness, the iPad 3 design heavily follows the iPad 2. The aluminum back (thankfully) lies flat on the table when you put the device down; a glass front protects the 9.7-inch multitouch screen. The sleep button sits at the top and, contrary to some rumors before the device was announced, a Home button still sits on the front near the bottom.

Volume buttons remain on the right-hand side, and the switch above the volume buttons can be used either as a screen lock (my favorite) or a mute switch. This functionality can be controlled via System Preferences on the device.

We don't mind the design—the iPad has already seen wild success in its previous two forms, and this one is certainly functional and attractive. Apple tends to lean toward the conservative side when it comes to radical cosmetic redesigns in immediate succession to one another. (We would have been far less pleased had Apple left out the Home button as some had theorized, however. For too many users, the button is a crucial part of the iOS user experience.)

Smart Cover: yes, it still works

Despite the miniscule thickness difference between the iPad 2 and the iPad 3, the Smart Covers made for and sold alongside the iPad 2 still work. There were some rumors before the iPad 3's announcement suggesting Apple's magnetic Smart Cover would also get a makeover, sporting a back section to protect the iPad's aluminum backside. These have not materialized. Apple currently sells the same design of Smart Cover alongside the iPad 3; as far as we can tell, they are identical to the older ones.

For those unfamiliar with Apple's $39 Smart Cover, here's what we wrote about them in the iPad 2 review from 2011:

Apple replaced the old (and in our opinion, somewhat janky) case that it had introduced with the original iPad with a new cover—don't call it a case—that magnetically attaches to the iPad 2. When holding the iPad in your hand, the hinge of the Smart Cover is attracted to the left-side back slope and the top folds over the iPad 2's glass to protect it from scratches.

Left: Smart Cover hinge not yet attached; right: the hinge attached to the back slope

The top of the Smart Cover is also magnetic and attaches itself to the front of the iPad so it doesn't flop open until you're ready to use the device. When you lift the cover, the iPad automatically wakes up and turns on the screen, and if you put the cover back down, the device goes back to sleep. This is definitely a neat feature and is a fun element to demonstrate to others.

The hinge on the Smart Cover allows you to flip the cover all the way around to the back of the iPad if you want to hold the whole thing flat. The cover sort of magnetically attaches to the iPad from the back, but we get the feeling this is just a side effect of the magnets really being on the front of the iPad—the cover doesn't hold particularly well while it's on the back, and it can sometimes get annoying if it happens to pull away and flop around in your hand.

Finally, the Smart Cover itself is foldable with the intent of being used as an angled stand for your iPad. You can either stand the device up for watching a movie or leave it at a low angle for typing:

The cover is so thin that it doesn't add any bulk to the iPad when it's attached, and it's versatile enough to make it an attractive accessory to toss in with your iPad purchase. However, some users don't like the fact that the Smart Cover doesn't protect the back of the iPad from scratches when closed, and this is a valid point. I'm not much of a case person myself (I've been known to just drop my iPad naked into my bag in the past), so this doesn't bother me personally, but I agree that the Smart Cover isn't the best accessory for those who want more than minimal coverage. We're hoping that Apple will allow third-party case makers to use the iPad's magnets so that there will be more equally cool options available to those who want something more.

We still have the same (relatively minor) complaint about the Smart Cover when used with the iPad 3—it tends to flop around in the back. I have modified my own behavior to help deal with this annoyance; folding the cover in half before flipping it around to the back. This keeps the cover from flopping down when I hold the device with my left hand while using my right to navigate.